NFL GameDay Morning, the first information-packed show on the air Sunday mornings, checks in at 9 a.m. ET on the only network entirely dedicated to football. Warren Sapp, Marshall Faulk and Steve Mariucci, alongside hosts Spero Dedes and Alex Flanagan and news reporter Adam Schefter, bring fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews on NFL Network.

Part 2 of Adam Schefter’s exclusive 1-on-1 with former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan: NFL Network’s Adam Schefter sat down with former Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan to look back on his career in Denver and discuss his current and future plans.

“He (Pat Bowlen) had a disguise on. They wouldn’t let him in the building because we had just won. Pat snuck by, so I said anyone that can sneak by security, I’m going to work for that guy.” — Shanahan on being courted by Pat Bowlen as an assistant coach following the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl win.

“I knew we had John Elway, and anytime you have a quarterback, you have a chance.” — Shanahan on coming to the Broncos without draft picks.

“I got more static for doing that than anything I’ve ever done.” — Shanahan on introducing President Bush during his campaign.

“I’ll look at our options this year, if not this year then next year. I haven’t been put in this situation for a while, so I’m not really sure what I’m going to do.” — Shanahan.

“I’m not going to do anything for a couple of weeks, that’s for sure.” — Shanahan.

“I will definitely coach again.” — Shanahan.

“I’ll study the game, maybe take some computer classes. I don’t even know how to text.” — Shanahan on what he would do with a year off.

“This (a Super Bowl trophy) is what drives coaches to stay in the business for a long time. Once you experience one of these, you know how special it is, and you want to get back there.” — Shanahan on his passion for coaching.

“An owner that wants to win … One that gives you a chance to (win a Super Bowl). That’s what drives you.” — Shanahan on who he will end up coaching for when he returns.

“The lack of experience isn’t going to affect the Ravens. They are well-coached. They have a plan, they stick with it. They’re going to run the ball and play keep away. Joe Flacco is becoming more and more comfortable with that passing game, and he’s gotten better and better coming down the stretch.” — Fisher on the Ravens-Dolphins matchup.

“Miami’s defense doesn’t get the credit, but they are playing very, very well.” — Fisher on the Ravens-Dolphins matchup

“People were critical of the Colts because Tony (Dungy) rested the guys, but that didn’t have any impact on what happened last night.” — Fisher on whether or not players should be rested before the playoffs.

“We talked just prior to our Pittsburgh game, and to simplify things, we decided we just have to win the next three home games. We won the first one, now we have two more.” — Fisher on the Titans’ mindset going into the playoffs.

“I’m very fortunate that we have stability and continuity here.” — Fisher.

“When you get to the playoffs, you don’t change your personality or mentality. You do what you did to get you here.” — Fisher.

“Jeff Fisher has been the constant. That’s why they have been so successful.” — Mariucci on the Titans.

After making one key running back decision last offseason, the San Diego Chargers now will be forced to make another. Last year, rather than looking to do the unthinkable and consider trading franchise running back LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego let his backup, Michael Turner, leave for Atlanta. Now, after a season in which Tomlinson fought injuries and reduced production, Chargers mighty-mite running back Darren Sproles is poised to become a free agent. Every time Sproles has been questioned at any level, he has produced. The Chargers were questioned for allowing Turner to leave. They would be questioned again if they allow Sproles to leave. San Diego cannot afford to let Sproles go, but it will be awfully pricey to get him to stay.

While awaiting a decision from coach Tony Dungy on his future, the Indianapolis Colts could be losing another franchise legend. Unless Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison is willing to significantly restructure his contract, it’s possible he has played his last game for Indianapolis. Next season, Harrison is scheduled to carry a $13.4 million salary-cap number for a Colts team that’s already $2.5 million over the 2009 salary cap. In a year when it will be more difficult than ever to restructure contracts because none of the money can be pushed into 2010 when there’s no salary cap, Indianapolis and other teams will struggle to find salary-cap room. Yet the 36-year-old Harrison, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, could almost singlehandedly provide it for the Colts. If Indianapolis were to release Harrison after this season, his $13.4 million salary-cap number would come off the books, and he would save the team $7 million against the cap.

The coaching class of 2010 is shaping up to be like the quarterback class of 1983. Next season, the three coaches expected to be available for hire at anytime are Shanahan, former Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren and former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher. Two others, Dungy and Bill Parcells, also could be added to the collection. With Shanahan, Holmgren and Cowher each free to be hired at anytime, it means the hot seat will be even hotter for embattled coaches next season.

New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo comes with rave reviews. He greatly impressed the Broncos executives with whom he had dinner Saturday night in New Jersey. It wouldn’t be overly surprising to see him wind up with the Broncos job. But most league insiders believe New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the coach the Broncos are interviewing Sunday morning, is the leader for the job. For starters, McDaniels is at the stage in his career that Dan Reeves was when Broncos owner Pat Bowlen bought the team and kept the coach in 1984. When Bowlen later hired Shanahan, the owner once again was drawn to youth and offensive imagination. And now, at 32, McDaniels would bring Bowlen the same attributes his two primary coaching hires have.

The New York Jets have reached out to Brian Billick and thrown him into the mix of their head-coaching search. They are planning to interview Billick this week, and one league source said the former Ravens coach is “a viable candidate for the Jets job.” Apparentl,y the Jets aren’t the only ones to contact Billick. The Detroit Lions, according to another source, also have. Reaching out to Billick makes sense on a number of levels. Rarely are coaches with Super Bowl wins on their resume available for hire. Also, Baltimore still owes Billick two more years of salary, putting him on sale for any team that hires him. And lastly, there’s this stat: Nine of the past 11 Super Bowls were won by coaches who had been fired from their previous job. Billick falls into that category, along with many coaches now receiving interviews. Billick also falls into the Jets’ sphere of interest. Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is the favorite for the job, but Billick can’t be dismissed.

Multiple NFL executives believe Herman Edwards will not return as the Kansas City Chiefs’ head coach next season. They believe it’s only a matter of time before the change is made. Chiefs general manager candidates are thought to include Patriots executive Scott Pioli, Colts vice president of football operations Chris Polian, Tampa Bay Buccaneers director of pro personnel Mark Dominik and Chargers director of player personnel Jimmy Raye.

Kansas City is throwing a grand going-away party for departing general manager Carl Peterson on Tuesday. Those who attempt to figure out where he will surface after Kansas City need to look back at Philadelphia. The last owner of the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars franchise, for which Peterson was the president and general manager, was Stephen M. Ross. The same Stephen M. Ross that is about to become the Dolphins’ new owner. Since the time they worked together in Philadelphia, Ross and Peterson have remained close. Their relationship dates well over 20 years. Back in Philadelphia, Peterson led the Stars to a 48-13-1 record and was twice named the USFL Executive of the Year. Some in the Chiefs’ organization have maintained all along that Ross would provide Peterson with his golden parachute out of Kansas City, with Peterson not the type of individual to simply walk away from the game. Multiple league sources believe that one day, possibly sooner rather than later, Ross will hire Peterson to help run his Dolphins.

Green Bay Packers assistant head coach Winston Moss made such an impression on the St. Louis Rams that he will be brought back for a second interview for their head-coaching job. Still, the Rams are proceeding with other candidates and plan to try to schedule interviews. Another assistant head coach who has caught the Rams’ attention is Arizona’s Russ Grimm; he can expect to hear from the Rams shortly. Also, whenever Tennessee’s season is finished, the Rams are interested in interviewing Titans offensive line coach Mike Munchak. And Rams general manager Billy Devaney is fully aware of Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan from the interviews he conducted with them last season, when he spearheaded the Atlanta Falcons’ head-coaching search. Frazier and Ryan will be serious contenders for the Rams’ head-coaching job.

Odd as it is, the one Shanahan who has the biggest chance to make his mark on the NFL this season isn’t the former Broncos coach, but rather his son, Houston Texans offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. During the Texans’ season-ending 31-24 victory over the Chicago Bears, in a game in which Houston racked up 455 total yards, Shanahan was entrusted with the responsibilities of calling all of his team’s plays for the first time this season. Up until then, he had called some but never an entire NFL game. It worked out so well that Texans coach Gary Kubiak now plans to let the younger Shanahan call all of Houston’s plays next season. And keep an eye on this scenario: The younger Shanahan, clearly an up-and-comer in this league, has one year left on his contract. If the senior Shanahan sits out this season, the two Shanahans easily could work together during the 2010 season.

Despite the rampant speculation that former Detroit Lions coach Rod Marinelli will wind up working with his former roommate, Lovie Smith, in Chicago, there’s at least one scenario that could prevent it from happening. Marinelli has been talking to the Seahawks and considering taking a job with them. There now are some who believe Marinelli will wind up there. Seattle’s president of football operations, Tim Ruskell, worked with Marinelli in Tampa Bay and knows what type of coach and man he is. Also, Seahawks vice president/player personnel Ruston Webster was a longtime Buccaneers employee who knows Marinelli’s value. Marinelli is expected to make his decision this week.

Each of the Bucs’ top two quarterbacks, Jeff Garcia and Luke McCown, are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents. Their top two wide receivers, Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton, are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents. Their top receiving tight end, Jerramy Stevens, is scheduled to be a free agent. Heading into the offseason, NFL Players Association records show that the Bucs are now $45 million under the salary cap. Forty-five million! That number even is expected to increase once salary-cap adjustments are made and more fat is trimmed from the roster. Tampa Bay will have the ability and flexibility to sign whatever free agents it wants. But it also will have plenty of players to replace.

The Eagles won’t do anything with quarterback Donovan McNabb right now. Go back to the middle half of last season. If McNabb hadn’t played well down the stretch, the Eagles could have made a move during last offseason. The same was true this season. When the Eagles benched McNabb during a game against the Ravens, there was a school of thought that maybe the time had come for the organization to part ways with the quarterback. But the way he has played down the stretch, McNabb has left it so the Eagles can’t make a move with him. Their only option is to bring him back to Philadelphia next season. McNabb has asked for a contract extension for job security. He wants to be told that he’s the Eagles’ guy and that the team won’t be moving on with second-year pro Kevin Kolb.

Quotes from NFL GameDay Morning:

“Sproles is not a back that can play every down, but he proved that in a playoff game when you have to win one, he can be very effective.” — Faulk on Sproles.

“Get something for LT or get something for Sproles. Don’t sit here a year from now, with another Michael Turner situation where you let one of your good players walk out the door.” — Sapp on Sproles.

“He’s playing like he’s the big man on campus.” — Mariucci on Sproles’ performance in the Chargers’ win over the Colts.

“Miami has to have explosive plays on offense against this Baltimore defense.” — Faulk.

“I don’t subscribe to that mentality that if you rest guys or have bye weeks, you get rusty. Did anyone watch the college bowl games? They get 40 days off, they aren’t rusty, they are fresh and come out and play like gang-busters.” — Mariucci on whether coaches should rest players before the playoffs.

“The speed of the game picks up considerably from the regular season to the playoffs.” — Washington Redskins offensive lineman Jon Jansen, a Special Player Correspondent.

“Chad Pennington is not intimidated by the number two ranked Baltimore Ravens defense.” — Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, a Special Player Correspondent.

“Ed Reed is the best safety in the league. He’s not the most physical safety in the league, but he does a tremendous job in coverage, which allows Baltimore Ravens to do so much in the blitz package.” — Harrison.

“You can’t let that monster get rolling. You grab him, lock him up and let the second guy go after the ball.” — Sapp on stopping Peterson and trying to strip the ball from him.

“A lot of rookie coaches did a great job this year, but it’s a great job by the Falcons’ organization. They had to get up from off the mat because they were down and out, and now they’re back and what a great job, congratulations.” — Mariucci on Mike Smith being selected as Coach of the Year.

“No, it isn’t. Are you kidding me? … They should keep it together. This is their window of opportunity to make it to the Super Bowl.” — Mariucci when asked if it’s time for the Eagles to part ways with McNabb.

Scott Hanson 1-on-1 with former Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese(1967-1980) to discuss the team’s turnaround from a 1-15 season in 2007 to an 11-5 season in 2008:

“Maybe 5-6 wins, or go .500, that would have been great, but to go 11-5 and be in the playoffs. This is more than anyone could imagine.” — Griese.

“He’s like another coach. He leads by example, and the Dolphins would never have been here without him.” — Griese on quarterback Chad Pennington.

Extra points:

Next week’s Divisional Playoff edition of NFL GameDay Morning will be on the air Saturday starting at 2 p.m. ET, leading straight into kickoff. Sunday’s episode will start at 9 a.m. ET with a recap of Saturday’s games and a preview of the day’s matchups.

On NFL.com the following video clips from NFL GameDay Morning are available for viewing:

NFL GameDay Morning begins the NFL Network schedule on Sundays and will now be called NFL GameDay. Following NFL GameDay Morning will be NFL GameDay Red Zone at 1 p.m. ET, NFL GameDay Scoreboard at 4 p.m. ET and NFL GameDay Final at 11:30 p.m. ET.

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